Crispy Baked Buttermilk Ritz Cracker Chicken

This cheesy Ritz cracker chicken recipe produces baked chicken that’s perfectly crunchy on the outside, and tender on the inside. The secret to truly moist and juicy chicken breasts is to marinate the chicken in buttermilk first (30 minutes minimum, but preferably overnight!) This easy chicken dinner is ready and on the table i just 30 minutes – you can’t beat that!

This cheesy ritz cracker chicken recipe produces baked chicken that’s perfectly crunchy on the outside, and tender on the inside. The secret to truly moist and juicy chicken breasts is to marinate the chicken in buttermilk first (20 minutes minimum, but preferably overnight!) This easy chicken dinner is ready and on the table in just over 30 minutes – You can’t been that!

I’m always looking for some new and interesting ways to make easy chicken dinner recipes, and this recipe for crispy Ritz cracker chicken is a great one to add to your busy weeknight rotation.  

Do you feel a little nostalgic when you eat a Ritz cracker? We always had them around the house for a snack growing up. They’re a comfort food for most of us.

But did you know they don’t contain any butter. They’re actually vegan. I’m not sure how healthy they are but they add their unique flavor to this baked chicken recipe and provide a crispier coating then simple breadcrumbs.

Did you know that Ritz crackers have been around since 1934, that’s amazing! However, they do not make a gluten free Ritz Cracker. This recipe will still work if you use a gluten free cracker such as those made by glutino, or you could make your own. Nicole from Gluten Free on a Shoe String, has a recipe for gluten free Ritz crackers that actually have butter in the recipe.

You may have grown up with a Ritz cracker chicken casserole with cream of chicken soup, sour cream and chicken that’s covered with Ritz crackers, like this version from the Country Cook. This recipe still has the cracker coating but without the creamy filling.

Baked Ritz cracker chicken is not only crispy on the outside but each bite is moist and juicy similar to Nut and panko-crusted chicken breasts. An alternative to baking would be to pan fry chicken tenders to get that crispy coating. To get super moist chicken breasts, my favorite technique is to let them marinate in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

I’ll just pour some buttermilk over the chicken breasts in a ziplock in the morning and then rinse it off, pat them dry and you’ll get the most tender baked chicken breasts.

Why soak chicken in buttermilk

Buttermilk is slightly acidic which means it will tenderize chicken without drying it out like a stronger marinade might. It also has enzymes which help break down the proteins which result in a more tender chicken breast.

Place the chicken in a ziplock bag and marinate it in buttermilk for 8 hours. You can leave the chicken in buttermilk for up to 48 hours, but even 30 minutes will help tenderize it a little, an hour or 2 is even better.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill it with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it starts to thicken.

Why you’ll love baked chicken

• The meal comes together so quickly, it’s easy to prepare on a busy weeknight
• The ingredients are simple and you most likely keep them in your pantry
• You won’t get a dry chicken breast in this recipe – the buttermilk helps keep the chicken juicy
• You don’t have to deep fry the chicken to get a nice crunchy coating, baked will give you crispy cheddar chicken without the extra grease.

What you’ll need

You only need 5 ingredients:

• Chicken breasts – you can use thick or thin chicken breasts or even chicken tenders. The thinner the chicken the less time it will take to bake.
• Ritz crackers – you will need 1 sleeve or about a cup of crushed Ritz crackers. You can increase the flavor by using Ritz Butter Garlic Crackers instead of the traditional.
• Egg – this helps the coating stay on the chicken.
• Buttermilk – for the coating, you could use milk instead. You also need it for the marinade. You make your own by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk.
• Cheddar cheese – you can use any type of cheese but a sharp cheddar tastes great with the Ritz crackers.

How do you make baked Ritz cracker chicken

Step 1

If you have time, marinate the chicken in some buttermilk overnight in the fridge, even 30 minutes will make a difference. If not, they will still be delicious, the buttermilk will make them even more tender.

Pro tip: If you don’t have buttermilk, add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. 

Step 2

Set up 2 pans, I use cake pans, but a plate or baking dish will work, it just needs to be big enough to fit a chicken breast.

• The first pan will have an egg and buttermilk
• The second pan has crushed crackers crumbs. To crush the crackers, place them in a ziplock and crush with a rolling pin or anything heavy.

Step 3

Dip the chicken first in the egg mixture and then in the Ritz cracker crumbs and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray.

Step 4

Top with grated cheese.

Step 5

Bake at 400º covered with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes depending on how thick the chicken breasts are.  The internal temperature should be 165º. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, just make a small slit in the thickest part and make sure it’s not pink.

You need to cover the breaded chicken for the first 20 minutes to make sure you seal seal in the juices while it cooks without drying it out. Then remove the foil so that the outside can get nice and crispy.

To reheat cheesy Ritz cracker chicken and keep that crispy coating, you will need to heat in an oven at 350º for about 5-10 minutes depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. You can reheat in the microwave for abut 45 seconds but it will make it soggy. Still tastes great but not crispy.

Recipe Notes

• You can use chicken tenders instead of breasts, just decrease the cooking time.
• To crush the crackers, place in a ziplock and use a rolling pin or wine bottle or any heavy object.
• If you want more flavor, add in a teaspoon of garlic powder, a teaspoon of onion powder or a teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the crushed cracker crumbs.
• If you want to add a kick to your chicken, add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the crackers.
• This can be frozen; to reheat, bake for 10 minutes in a 350º oven. 

This cheesy Ritz chicken recipe has made it into our rotation of chicken dinners and has been declared a favorite. When serving, make sure to add the crispies left on the bottom of the pan, they are too good to leave behind.

How to make Ritz Cracker Tenders

A chicken tender is the tenderloin of the chicken that lies along the chicken breast right next to the bone. The tenderloin is much small and more tender than a chicken breast. You don’t need to marinate a chicken tender to get moist and tender chicken. If using chicken tenders, you will prepare it the same way, the only difference will be in the cooking time.

Cook chicken tenders covered for 10 minutes then remove the foil and cook an additional 5 minutes.

What to serve with cheesy baked chicken

Ritz cracker chicken goes great with almost any side whether it’s a broccoli salad or mashed potatoes. You could easily add some veggie packets or green beans with bacon for a delicious meal.

FAQs and tips

What else can you make with Ritz Crackers

• You can add seasoning and bake them per half baked harvest
• Try dipping them in chocolate, these look amazing
• Add them to the top of any casserole for a buttery crunch
• They are delicious with strawberries

Looking for more easy chicken dinners

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